Storage container for trailer king pin lock

ABSTRACT

A storage container for a trailer king pin lock having a sleeve dimensioned to be coaxially received over a trailer king pin and a lock mechanism protruding from an exterior surface of the sleeve. The container includes a base dimensioned for seating a bottom end of the lock sleeve when not in use and a mount is provided for securing the base of the container alternatively to a tractor or a trailer adjacent the trailer king pin for convenient access. When the king pin lock is not in use it is secured to the base and a cover is secured over the lock and base to prevent exposure of the greasy dirty surfaces of the lock from engaging other objects and for convenient storage for later use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to anti-theft locking arrangements for prevention of the unauthorized coupling of truck tractors and truck trailers, and more particularly to a storage container for the lock when not in use.

The standard mechanism used to couple truck tractors and trailers includes a fifth wheel mounted on the truck tractor and a king pin mounted on the trailer. Typically, the king pin extends downwardly from the trailer and has an annular groove located around the outer surface of the king pin. The fifth wheel has a slot or a set of jaws which are adapted to engage the grooved king pin.

Various locking arrangements for the prevention of unauthorized coupling of a fifth wheel of a tractor to the king pin of a trailer have been developed. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,798,938; 4,697,444; 4,704,883 and 5,052,203. Basically all of these locking arrangements are essentially comprised of a sleeve dimensioned to be coaxially received over a trailer king pin and a lock mechanism protruding from an exterior surface of the sleeve, which lock mechanism may be activated with a key which extends and engages a lock bolt into the groove of the king pin.

A common problem incurred with all of these locking mechanisms is that by necessity they are covered with grease, as an extensive amount of grease is used on the fifth wheel and the king pin. This grease together with dirt is transferred to the locking mechanism which creates the common problem as to what the trucker should do with the locking mechanism when not in use. It is extremely dirty to handle and it will apply greasy dirt to any object that it comes in contact with. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a convenient means for storing the lock when not in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a storage container for a trailer king pin lock, which lock conventionally has a sleeve dimensioned to be coaxially received over a trailer king pin and a lock mechanism protruding from an exterior surface of the sleeve. The storage container of the present invention is comprised of a base dimensioned for seating a bottom end of the lock sleeve and the base is further provided with means for securing it to a truck tractor or a truck trailer adjacent to the king pin where access is convenient. A means is also provided for securing the lock to this base.

This securing means may include a sleeve extending upwardly from the base and dimensioned for coaxially receiving the lock sleeve thereover and have a lock bolt aperture therethrough to receive a lock bolt from the king pin lock.

A cover is provided and dimensioned to cover the lock to thereby prevent exposure of the dirty grease deposited on the king pin lock. A cover lock is provided to secure this cover to the base. This cover lock may include a spring loaded bayonet lock mechanism on the cover which penetrates into the sleeve for locking engagement with the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims. The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification, without limiting the invention or the appended claims, certain features of the present invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in side elevation of a truck tractor and an unattached truck trailer with a king pin locking mechanism applied thereto and further illustrating the storage container of the present invention shown alternatively secured to the tractor or the trailer;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a trailer king pin lock of the prior art representing one of a number of such locks which may be utilized with the storage container of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lock shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the storage container of the present invention for a trailer king pin lock of the type shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a top or plan view of the storage container shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the cover, exposing the interior thereof, for the storage container shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a top or plan view of the storage container shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the cover removed to thereby expose the interior of the container base with the king pin lock mounted thereon;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the base portion of the storage container illustrated in FIG. 7 with the king pin lock removed; and

FIG. 9 is a plan or top view of the base portion of the container shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a truck tractor 10 is schematically illustrated along with, but not attached to, the truck trailer 11. As may be best noted from the exploded portion of the drawing, the king pin 12 depends downwardly from trailer tongue 13 for ultimate engagement with the fifth wheel 14 on the tractor 10 for towing the trailer 11. The king pin 12 is provided with an annular groove 15 to receive the jaws (not shown) on the fifth wheel 14. The trailer 11 is shown in a parked position and the king pin lock 16 is applied to the king pin 12 to prevent theft of the trailer 11 in a well known manner.

Once the king pin lock 16 is removed, it is then stored in the storage container of the present invention as alternatively indicated at 17 on the truck tractor or the tongue of trailer 11, as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

Referring next to FIGS. 2 and 3, the details of the conventional king pin lock 16 are illustrated. The lock 16 is comprised of a sleeve 18 dimensioned to be coaxially received over the trailer king pin 12 and a lock mechanism 19 protrudes from the exterior surface of sleeve 18. The lock mechanism 19 is actuated with a key in conventional fashion to extend and retract lock bolt 20 into the annular groove 15 of king pin 12.

The storage container 17 of the present invention for the king pin lock mechanism 16 is shown and described in detail in FIGS. 4 through 9. The storage container 17 includes a base 21 dimensioned for seating a bottom end of lock sleeve 18. The base 21 is provided with bolt passages 22 in order to provide a mounting means for securing the base 21 to a tractor 10 or a trailer 11 with bolts or other fasteners as alternately illustrated in FIG. 1 adjacent to the trailer king pin 12 for convenient storage. Then a securing means is provided for securing the lock 16 to the base 21. This is accomplished in the embodiment illustrated by providing an inner sleeve 24 that is secured to and extends upwardly from base 21 and is further dimensioned to coaxially receive sleeve 18 of lock 16 thereabout. This inner sleeve 24 is further provided with a lock bolt aperture 25 in the side thereof to receive lock bolt 20 therethrough to thereby secure the lock 16 to base 21.

Cover 23 is also provided to cover the secured lock 16 as it rests on base 21 in order to prevent exposure thereof and its greasy d0irty surfaces to possible contact with other objects. This cover 23 is suitably constructed of lightweight aluminum or plastic. The lock 16 and the base 21 are generally constructed of steel.

The cover 23 is dimensioned to cover the lock 16 and engage the bottom of base 21 in order to fully cover the lock 16. The cover 23 is secured to base 21 by means of a spring loaded bayonet lock mechanism 26 which penetrates into the inner sleeve 24 for locking engagement with base 21. This bayonet lock mechanism 26 includes a vertical pin or shaft 27 which in turn has secured to its upper end a knob 28 for manipulating the shaft 27. The bottom end of shaft 27 is provided with a bayonet locking pin 29 which extends transversely through shaft 27 for bayonet locking engagement with the female bayonet locking mechanism 30 provided on the upper end of extension lock tube 31, which is centrally secured to the bottom of base 21.

The mechanism 26 is further spring loaded by means of compression spring 32 which is disposed between knob 28 and the upper exterior surface of cover 23. This permits knob 28 to be depressed downwardly against compression of spring 32 to thereby protrude shaft 27 downwardly to engage bayonet pins 29 into the female bayonet slots 30 of tube 31 to thereby securely lock the cover over the base 21 and the lock 16 secured therein. 

1. A storage container for a trailer kingpin lock having a sleeve dimensioned to be coaxially received over a trailer king pin and a lock mechanism protruding from an exterior surface of the sleeve, said container comprising: a base dimensioned for seating a bottom end of said lock sleeve; mounting means for securing said base to a tractor or a trailer adjacent to the trailer king pin; and securing means for securing said lock to said base.
 2. The storage container of claim 1, including a cover dimensioned to cover said lock.
 3. The storage container of claim 2, said securing means further including a cover lock for securing said cover to said base.
 4. The storage container of claim 3, said cover lock including a spring loaded bayonet lock mechanism on said cover and penetrating into said sleeve for locking engagement with said base.
 5. The storage container of claim 1, said securing means including a sleeve extending upwardly from said base and dimensioned for coaxially receiving said lock sleeve thereover and having a lock bolt aperture therethrough to receive a lock bolt from said king pin lock mechanism. 